Interlibrary Loan

Borrowing privileges are reserved for Field Museum staff and affiliates who are registered users of the Library. Before submitting an interlibrary loan request, please check the Library's online catalog to verify that the item you're requesting is not owned by our Library.

Please provide as much information as you can about the book (author, title, edition, year) or article (journal title, article title, author, volume, number, year) and send an email to: ill@fieldmuseum.org Having the best, most complete citation available is extremely important!

What can I borrow?

We will request any type of item you may need, in accordance with the policy of the lending library. This policy may exclude recordings of any kind, complete issues of serials, oversize items and rare books.

How long will it take for the materials I've requested to arrive?

The average delivery time for a book if 7-10 days. The average time for an article request is 5-7 days. Delivery time is entirely dependent on the library sending the material and the availability of the requested material.

How long can I keep the item?

The policy of the lending library sets both the borrowing period and the ability to renew items. Please respect this due date! Failure to return materials on time damages our relationship with other libraries and compromises our ability to borrow materials from them in the future.

How will I receive my materials?

Most article requests are scanned by the lending library and are sent electronically to our ILL staff where they are checked in and sent through to your email. Hard copies of articles as well as books will be left for you at the Reference Desk. You will be informed via email that they are available for pick-up.

Can I take a book I have borrowed out of the building?

No. Please treat interlibrary loan items as you would items from The Field Museum Library collection. Unless otherwise noted, items can be taken to your workspace only; they should never leave the museum.

What happens if I lose or damage a book?

If an item borrowed through interlibrary loan is lost or damaged, you, the borrower, are responsible for the replacement of the material, as determined by the lending library.

Where do I return books I have borrowed through interlibrary loan?

Please return all loans to the Reference Desk in the main Library Reading Room.

Lending Information

Lending requests are welcomed from the libraries of museums, universities and research institutions worldwide. Requests must be submitted from libraries (not individuals) via OCLC Resource Sharing (symbol: IBT). We are unable to serve public libraries for interlibrary loan.

Content is provided free of charge to most Illinois academic, research and state libraries as well as all BHL partner libraries. Loan are for in-library use only and may not be checked out to the patron.

Loans are sent to libraries via FedEx or ILDS (within Illinois). Copies are scanned and sent via email or USPS.

The following materials will not be loaned: rare books, reference, archive collections and any materials considered too large or fragile.